Researchers tried discussing shame with ordinary patients that came for care. They were told something like, “I see you went through this bad experience as a child. I am sorry this happened to you. Would you like to talk about it?”Just being able to discuss the trauma led to a huge fall in future illnesses. The act of releasing your shame is – in itself – healing.

Release your shame

Depression is often measured by scientists using something called the Hamilton Scale. It runs from 0 (where you are dancing in ecstasy) to 59 (where you are suicidal). <ul><li>Improving your sleep patterns gives you a movement on the Hamilton Scale of around 6 points. </li><li>Chemical antidepressants give you an improvement, on average, of 1.8 points, according to <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045">research</a> by professor Irving Kirsch of Harvard University. </li></ul>

How depression is measured

<div>Many leading scientists believe the whole idea that depression is caused by a “chemically imbalanced” brain is wrong.  There are in fact nine major causes of depression and anxiety that are unfolding all around us. Two are biological, and seven are out in here in the world, rather than sealed away inside our skulls.</div>
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Causes of depression

<div>When you’re a child, you have very little power to change your environment. So, you have two choices. <ol><li>You can admit to yourself that you are powerless and there’s simply nothing you can do about it. </li><li>You can tell yourself it’s your fault and at some strange level under your control. If you were responsible for being hurt, then at some level, you have to think you deserved it.</li></ol></div>

 Childhood trauma can cause depression

Depression and anxiety are mostly being caused by events in our lives. You are far more likely to become depressed:<ul><li>If you find your work meaningless and you feel you have no control over i.</li><li>If you are lonely and feel that you can’t rely on the people around you to support you.</li><li>If you think life is all about buying things and climbing up the ladder.</li><li>If you think your future will be insecure.</li></ul>

Biological factors are not primary drivers

Across the Western world today, if you are depressed or anxious and you go to your doctor because you just can't take it any more, you will likely be told a story. It happened to me when I was a teenager in the 1990s.

Understand yourself and those around you.